


Arcade and Beach Date

by Libelli



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Arcades, Beaches, Fluff, Happy Birthday, He's called just Joker to make it easy, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Walks On The Beach, date, protagonist named joker, this is a gift
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-06-29 08:38:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19826506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Libelli/pseuds/Libelli
Summary: Joker and Ryuji have a little date at the arcade on the pier.





	Arcade and Beach Date

**Author's Note:**

> This is a birthday gift for my friend. Happy Birthday!!!!!

“Can we be thieves in real life? Just for today?” Ryuji asked.

“Only if you want to get arrested,” said Joker. 

Ryuji sighed and tapped the machine with his foot like he was kicking it. “This friggin sucks.” He said. “I guess that would be bad.” He finally decided. “Especially for us.” 

They were the only ones in the arcade, except for the bored looking girl who sat behind the counter occasionally checking her phone for the time. Joker glanced at the sign hanging from the door. Even though it was backwards, the light from the sunset illuminated the sign. The arcade was supposed to close in fifteen minutes. Ryuji dug around in one pocket and when that came up empty and reached into the other one. 

“What are you doing?” Joker asked. 

“I’m gonna win that thing for you.” Ryuji said gesturing to a puffy, pink circle with a smiley face on, the thing most likely to be picked up by the claw at this point. He pulled his hand out of his second pocket, it was empty too, and he swore. 

“You don’t have too…”

Ryuji smacked his hands against the claw-machine’s consoles. “Yeah, but I  _ want _ to,” he said. 

Joker felt his heart melt. He smiled and brushed his fingers against Ryuji’s. “It’s okay,” He said. 

Ryuji looked away trying to hide his smile. “Oh, uh, if you say so…” 

They walked out of the arcade. The sun was warm, but the breeze off the ocean was cool and somehow sweet among the saltiness. Kids ran back and forth between booths and ice cream stands, their parents trailing along behind them sometimes shaking their heads and other times just as excited as their kids. 

Joker looked over at Ryuji, the breeze ruffled his hair and sweatshirt. The sunlight shone on his hair making the bleached parts appear whiter and the black roots glow almost red. 

“What’re you starin at?” Ryuji asked. 

“Nothing. Just your roots are growing out.” 

Ryuji scowled and punched Joker in the arm. “Shuddup, man.” Ryuji groaned. All Joker could do was laugh. “You know...I was trying to get you that thing not because it looked cool, but because I was trying to be romantic…” 

Joker looked out at the beach, the sand glowed copper in the fading sunlight and the ocean shown the perfect sea green the kind of green that seas should be. Then he looked back at Ryuji, rubbing the back of his head and shifting nervously from foot to foot. 

“You know, you don’t have to try.” Joker said, and that made Ryuji light up, a smile from ear to ear. “Do you want to sit on the beach?” 

Ryuji stuck his hands in his pockets. “Sure,” he said, still proud as a peacock from what Joker had just said, “Let’s go.”

They walked down the wooden steps, worn smooth by millions of summer feet and storms. Joker pulled off his socks and sneakers and waited patiently by the staircase as Ryuji chased after the shoe he kicked off that had flown wildly on the beach. Of flock of seagulls screeched and flew away with flapping wings as Ryuji ran after his sneaker. 

“Ah! I got sand in my sock!” Ryuji screeched. 

Joker held in a laugh and walked into the beach after him. The cool sand slid around his feet and it felt good. Joker walked up to Ryuji and shook his head as he watched his boyfriend shake that last grains of sound out of his shoes. 

“Uh, you wanna sit by the water?” Ryuji asked. 

Joker nodded. Together they walked to the water’s edge. There were lines of salt and miniscule shells where the water had come up. Ryuji smirked and stuck his foot into the water as it came up, but the minute it touched his toes his smile fell. He yelled again and leaned away from the water. 

“Damn! That’s cold!” 

Joker just rolled his eyes. “What did you expect?” 

“I dunno, it’s supposed to be hot at the beach…” Ryuji said. 

For a moment they locked eyes and Ryuji smiled at him, not bold and brash or proud. It was gentle and full of want. Joker lowered his eyes and stepped closer. He reached his hand forward and stuck his fingers in between Ryuji’s. Ryuji took his hand and held it tight against his side. 

They walked down the beach, until the sky had bleed all the red, orange and yellow out and all that was left was streaks mixed with inky blue and purple. The moon, a bright silver sliver, shone bright atop their heads. 

They did not swing their arms back and forth in a steady rhythm like other couples or dance around or run like another couple they saw. Joker and Ryuji walked side by side, tall and strong and unmoving. As they walked they stepped closer and closer until their shoulders brushed against each other. They reached the end of the pier and Joker stopped. 

“We should be heading back.” Joker said his heart sinking because it was over. 

Ryuji nodded. Joker turned to start walking back but Ryuji kept himself rooted in place. He looked down and away. 

“Ryuji? What’s wrong?” 

Ryuji stepped closer and drew Joker in closer. He kissed him. Small and short but sure. 

“I love you,” Joker said immediately. “I love you.” 

“I love you, too.” Ryuji said back, still not looking up, but blush on his cheeks. 

He held Joker’s hand just a bit tighter as they began to walk back down along the pier, and Joker saw no reason to say anything about it. 


End file.
